Changed
by Rose
PART SIX
"Motoki, have you seen Odango Atama-baka
around? She hasn't been to the arcade in almost two
weeks. Mamoru asked, searching futilely for the
blonde.
"Why? Do you *like* her?" Motoki was not his
usual happy go lucky self.
"No-- just worried." Mamoru answered,
although his heart told him otherwise.
"I don't know. One of her friends-- Naru?
Nara? Something like that-- well, anyway, she told
me Usagi hasn't been to school either. She mother
has been saying she's sick-- but..." Motoki turned
away. "I think otherwise. Sick for TWO weeks?"
"What do you suppose, then?" Mamoru asked.
"I don't know. I just know that Usagi
wouldn't stay out of school because she's SICK.
She'd be in here, at least. And haven't you
noticed? None of her friends have been coming
around either." Motoki turned nonchantantly away,
leaving Mamoru with his thoughts.
'What if Odango is in trouble? I know she
didn't get that cut by a dog-- and Rei Whatever was
mussed up too.
'I bet her mother knows what going on.' He
concluded. He threw some yen on the counter and
almost ran out of the store.
" This isn't funny." He said to himself. "Her
own mother's covering for her, meaning it's bad.
Her friends have also mysteriously vanished. Either
the Dark Kingdom is just being a bunch of eechis
and are collecting girls, or something else..." A
memory tugged at the back of his mind, threatening
to surface. Mamoru didn't notice. He was trying to
find a logical explanation.
As if.
However, he came up with many that his
desperate mind was able to accept.
A dog with really sharp teeth.
She really was sick.
A bus hit her.
Aliens got her.
A love sick manm eating fish got her.
And so on, through a list that got more and
more ridulous as it went on, if possible.
But the moment Ms. Tsukino opened the door,
and Mamoru caugth a glimpse of her tear stained,
miserable face, all his ideas went down the drain,
and he barged in past her without a word.
"Tsukino-san." He began respectfully, but she
stopped him with a hand.
"You want to know about my daughter." She
stated.
"Y-yes. Watashi no namae wa Chiba Mamoru
desu." He said, grateful he didnt have to explain.
"Chiba-san, I can tell you what happened in
three sentenses: She came in. She grabbed her
stuff, said goodbye, that some people were after
her. She left." Ikuko said. "Please don't tell
anyone she's gone-- she begged me that, but I can't
tell anyone else... and I've seen you with her...
she seems to like you-- I can't even tell Kenji
what happened!" Ikuko sobbed.
"She just left?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Tsukino-san. I'll try to look for
her."
"Thank you, Chiba-san."
*************************
"She must be so worried." Usagi murmured,
walking in circles around the huge mansion.
Worrying about her mother, and her friends.
What if her mother got worried and turned her
description in to the authorities?
Her description matched Sailor Moon's
exactly. She could imagine the report...
Long blonde hair pulled up in buns on either
side of her head... big blue eyes... heighth,
weight..
Damn!
She had to at least make sure her family was
okay.
She scribbled out a quick note on the pad of
paper on the table and pull out her Luna Disguise
Pen, and quickly henshined into a girl with light,
lilac-colored hair and reddish eyes. She pulled a
trenchcoat on.
That would keep any senshi outside from
recognizing her, because the others were allowed
out, but she was constricted to the mansion,
becasue she was the princess.
She'd rather be a beggar.
She ran from the mansion with a vengance, and
for a few blocks she ran faster than any human had
a right to.
She wasn't human.
She slowed down, noticing the people staring
at her.
Up ahead, she saw Mamoru, searching through
the crowd, like he was looking for something.
Someone.
Suddenly, Usagi just knew he looking for her.
She knew she was the target of his concern, and
that he would probably find her.
Just walk right past him... he can't see
through the trenchcoat, and even if he could, he
cant see through the disguise.
Maybe.
"I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm
okay...." Mamoru heard the girl with strange hair
chant to herself. He felt an emense energy level
coming from her.
What was wrong with her?
"Excuse me, miss, is anything wrong?" He
asked. The girl spun around, her large scarlet eyes
full of terror and fear.
His every instint told him something was
wrong.
"No... I'm fine." SHe stutered, and turn to
run.
"I don't believe you." He said, using the
same level voice he used with Rei, and then again
with Usagi.
"I'm in a terrible hurry..." The girl
murmured, afriad to look at him.
"I don't believe that, either."
"I am." She whispered. Her voice was close to
tears. "I have to go check on someone-- and get
back before they know I'm gone. They'll track me
down, and it's the last thing I need." She
murmured, almost to herself, because, for a split
second, she had forgotten about Mamoru.
"Why?" His voice cut into her jumbled
thoughts.
Like someone had hit her with a stone, she
realized she was an actor.
He was the dashing hero in disguise.
She was the damsel in distress.
She fought down a giggle. This was her debut.
Come on, Usagi, play it out good. He hasn't a clue
who you are.
Let's see if those acting lessons on the moon
paid off.
"I have to go..." She said, sounding
flustered. "You might be one of them... they'd kill
me... I can;t stay... please, sir. Let me go." She
tugged at her arm, that Mamoru had grabbed.
"No. You're in trouble. I want to help." He
said simply.
Play it out good...
"Just let me gooooo!" She said, sobbing. "If
they notice I'm gone..."
"What's your name?" Mamoru asked. She stared
at him.
"I'm not telling you."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know you... people are after
me... you might be one..."
"I'm Mamoru."
'I knew that.'
"Neko." She said, and then clamped a hand on
her mouth, like she hadn't ment to say that.
"Neko, huh? Coincidence. I'm looking for a
girl named Usa."
"Usa? As in rabbit?" She smiled.
"Usagi, actually. You haven't seen her, have
you?" He asked. 'Neko' let out a strangled gasp,
and jerked away from Mamoru, and began running much
faster than he could ever hope to.
"That's one career I could consider. Acting."
Usagi mumbled, as she approached her house.
She couldn't go in... couldn't knock...
couldn't do anything. She just had to wait.
And wait she did. For two hours, she crouched
in the tree outside her house, until she grew tired
and jumped gracefully to her bedroom window, pulled
it open (wondering why it wasn't locked), and
climbed inside.
It was just as she left it.
"I miss you, room." She whispered. She walked
over to the mirror and looked at the face that
wasn't her's.
She had to keep it, at least for now.
She heard the sounds of someone washing the
dishes, of Shingo playing the nintendo, of Kenji
cursing as he burned his fingers lighting a fire.
Normal sounds.
Sounds of a life she could not have.
That was it. She crept silently over to her
desk and pulled out a piece of paper, and began
writing.
Whether she would leave it or burn it, she
knew not.
*******************
Ikuko walked up the stairs to check on her
daughter's room, hoping that maybe, Usagi would
have came back.
She held her breath as she opened to door,
slowly.
Nothing.
Another disappointment. It wasn't new.
Wait. The window was open. Strange. How did
that happen?
"I must have, eariler." She said to herself
as she crossed the room and closed it, pulling the
curtains shut. She turned to leave when a flash of
red caught her eye.
Something red was on Usagi's desk.
She picked it up. It was a single, red rose
without a flaw anywhere.
Underneath it was a letter.
She began to read:
-Mom,
I'm sorry I ran out like that, but you can't
understand the trouble I'm in. I was almost caught
to-day, so I'm pretty sure you can at least under-
stand part of the danger. Remember, don't tell any-
one. Because no matter what they look like, they
could very well be my enemy. I know you told Mamoru
and I'm not angry, but be more careful! Mamoru saw
me to-day, but luckily he didn't know it was I. I
love you, very much, and that's why I'm doing this.
I'd tell you everything, but it's impossible right
now. The people I'm with will protect me, whether I
like it or not, so don't worry. I'm watching you...
you won't get hurt. I'll come back someday... after
Beryl is gone.
I can tell you who's after me now, it's Beryl.
Queen Beryl. She's after me because I'm a threat to
her, because I know too much. She does not know my
name, and it is important it stays that way because
she will have you killed, just to see me suffer.
Be careful...
-Usagi-
"Beryl!" Ikuko gasped. She tore the letter
into many pieces so if there was a search. they
wouldn't find it. She held her head high.
No more tears. If it was Beryl Usagi was
running from, then Ikuko would remain silent.
If someone could take Beryl down, Ikuko was
confident it was Usagi.
****************
"Where have you *been*?" Haruka screeched,
the moment Usagi walked in the door. Usagi felt her
ribs being crushed as Haruka nearly squeezed the
life out of her.
"Breathe... must breathe..." Usagi gasped.
"Haruka's been going off the wall, and we've
had to listen to it. Where *have* you been?" Rei
whined.
"Dead, okay?" Usagi muttered, and ran up the
stairs. Haruka stared after her and then looked at
Michiru, who nodded.
"Did I miss something?" Minako asked.
"Usagi went to check on her family." Ami
said, who caught it too.
"She loved her family, even after she learned
the truth." Luna murmured.
"My mother... it wasn't hard leaving her...
she was always caught up in the hospital... she
probably hasn't even noticed I'm gone... we would
go for days without seeing one another. It was like
I never had a mother at all." Ami mumbled.
"And grandpa... he loves me, but..." Rei
began, and trailed off.
Makoto just stared at them.
"My parents didn't care." Minako said simply.
"I was disowned." Haruka said, after a
pointed glare from Michiru, who said the same.
"I can guess why... I'm sorry." Artemis said.
"Hmm. Is it a coincidense?" Luna wondered.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"The universe is a vast place, my daughter."
A woman, shadowed so her face cannot be seen,
stands in front of the starry sky, reflected by the
lake's waters.
"But Mother... I am one... The Darkness is
winning..." Another girl, her head bowed, says.
"Do you believe you can win?" The woman asks.
"N-no." The girl replies.
"There's your problem, then."
"What? it doesn't matter what I believe. If I
fight, I win, or I loose." The girl said, sounding
surprised... and maybe a bit hopeful?
"No, no. Do you truely believe that if you
don't think something will work when you make it,
that you'll do your best. Come here." The woman
said. The girl moved slowly and without sound the
the woman's side.
"Now, I shall tell you a secret."
"Really?"
"Yes. Now, look." The woman opened her hand.
In her palm lay a glittering light.
"What is it?" The girl marveled.
"I don't know. You tell me."
"It looks like a star. Like a star with many
points, all shining for something..."
"Maybe that is what it is. And look around
you." the woman said. The sky and lake faded away.
The were standing by a galaxy, all yellow and
oranges and reds and purples, in the vast dark blue
emptyness, gorgeous, beauty beyond any poet's
description.
"Now, tell me which is the more beautiful."
The woman said.
The girl looked from the plain, white star
that did not seem so glittery, to the billions and
billions of stars of different colors, all forming
that array of hues. She decided.
"I like that one." She pointed to the white
star. The woman smiled.
"I'm very glad you think so. Now, look at our
galaxy." She motioned to their surroundings. "It is
made up of these, little, insignifigant stars.
"But once together, look at how they shine!
Look at the colors, and the sheer beauty of it
all!"
"What purpose does this have, Mother?" The
girl asked.
"Look carefully. Tell me how many white stars
you see." The woman replied. The girl searched for
what seemed like many minutes.
"None."
"Ah-ha. You are not looking hard enough." The
white star disappeared from the womans hand, and
she pointed to the very center of the galaxy.
"There it is. It is beautiful, is it not?
That star... it is the force that keeps the human
race alive. If that star dies, all is lost. It is
the life."
"And what does this have to do with me?" The
girl asked.
"You are that star, just as I was. My
dearest, if we die-- so does everyone else. The
blood of Eternia must live forever, no matter what.
If the blood is no more..." The woman trailed off.
The sound of an explosion filled the air. The
sun exploded in a super nova, a spectacular sight
to behold...
...If the meaning wasn't so crystal clear to
the girl.
"If I die...." The girl looked at the ruin
the explosion had left.
"But if you believe you can win, you shall.
No matter what." The woman smiled. "For I know, in
my heart of hearts, you can and you will win. Not
for yourself, not for me, not for your earth...
"Then why?" The girl asked.
"It will be just to prove Queen Beryl, to
prove the shadows, to prove the blackness, that
someone *IS* stronger...
"It will be to show the smallest of flowers
that the sun will shine tomorrow, with it's healing
rays and life-giving light...
"It will be because of the beautiful, spicy
scent of a spring morning...
"It will be, my dear, for life..."
******************
Usagi woke with a start, rememebering her
mother's words.
"For life." She repeated, a warmth replacing
the chill in her heart.
Yes, for life. She wanted life. She wanted
life to go on, forever, never to cease.
"I will fight, Mother. I can win. Beryl will
not go unpunished for her cause in the destruction
of life.
"I will fight, Mother. Only, I shall do it
different...
"I will fight for life..."
***************************************************
Okay, that's part six. I hoped you liked it.
-Life is a virture-
-Rose